Closure and gauge structure



June 21, 1932. P. J. MAcHoNls I CLOSURE AND GAUGEl STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 4,. 1926 a bmw' m1, www@ Ffa'. Z

Patented June 21, 1932 narran stares PATENT L i* v PETER J. `lVIAC-IONIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY;MESNE"ASSIGNMEN`TS, f

EATON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,y 1A iCORPORATIION OF OHIO CLOSUREAND GAUGE STRUCTURE Application filed November 4, 1926. Serial No. 146,132. i

This invention relates'to improvements in closure and gauge structures such as are used, for example, with the gasoline tanks of motor driven vehicles.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved closure and gauge structure in which the gauge, of measuring stick form, lcomprises a singley strip of resilient metal having its free end portions engaging in suitable openings in the closure, the resiliency of the gauge member eectively maintaining the. end portions thereof in the closure openings. The necessity of providing separate means, such as screws or bolts vand nuts, for securing the gaugeto the closure is therefore avoided, and assembly of the structure rendered quick and easy.

Further objects of the invention are'in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawing, which represents one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of my improved closure and-gauge structure; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken at ninety degrees to Fig. '1, and showing the structure applied to a fuel tank.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the structure is shown as including a closure of the construction illustrated in the prior patent vfor closures, No. 1,593,847, granted July 27, 1926, although it is to be understood that the structure may include a closure of any suitable type.

The closure illustrated in the drawing includes outer and inner walls having portions thereof separated to provide an air chamber 1 therebetween. The outer wall includes a substantially circular top portion 2 provided with a centrally disposed dome 3 and a marginal flange or skirt port-ion 4. The inner wall comprises a substantially ilat annular member 5 having its outer edge portion crimped or otherwise suitably secured to the outer wall at the junction of the top and skirt portions thereof. Crimped or otherwise suitably secured to an upwardly extending, annular ilange 5a at the inner edge of said annular member 5 is the substantially flat, circular body portion 6 of a locking member.

The body portion @raidl itekinglmemberii's providedat two diametricallyopposed points withtwo downwardly and outwardly extending, inherently resilientflocking'finger ,por-

ltions 7, which are. adapted ffor co-operation with cam .portions ofthe tank tobe closed, as Iwilllater appear. Theair chamber ,1 Vofthe closure isfve'nted tothe outside atmosphere through an'aperture 8 infthe domej ofthe v flange 15 suitably secured to said tank. Said -75 kbody portion Ais provided at yits lippen end with an inwardly extending,"substantially horizontal flange 16 which terminates in adepending flange 17. At two diametricallyop'- posite points, portions vof flanges 16`and 17 are cutaway, toprovidevtwo openings or passagewaysV 18,;'through which-the closure locking lingers 7 are-adapted to be passed, as will 'later appear. "The cuttingaway ofpo'rtions *ofl llangesl', .17 ,provides -two depending .i

flange portions 17 of'substfa'ntial'ly semi-circular form, and the bottom edges of'these `flange portions are suitably inclined'to provide two substantially lsemi-circular ca'm portion/S19. At the rear ends of said ca1n'portions.`flanges 417 `are Aeach provided with a depending ,lug or'projection '20, which provide stops for the closure locking fingers 7 `when said 4fingers are travellingialong the cam 'portion 19,

thereby limiting 'relativeV 'rotary movement between the closure andthe tank filler neck.

The closure is applied to4 the tank filler neck 4in the usual manner lofbayonet .joint connections,`the closure locking ingersfbeing pass'eddown 'through the passageways )18 in the neck flanges 16, 17. The closureis'then turned in a clockwise direction, which causes the locking fingers thereof to ride up the cam portions 19, the turning movement of the closure being continued until said lingers strike the stop portions 20, which denotes full seating position of the closure. To remove the closure, it is only necessary to turn it in the reverse direction, which causes the locking fingers 7 to ride down cam portions 19, as will be readily understood.

.Preferably the closure is provided with a cork or leather gasket 21, which is adapted to lie within the closure skirt portion 4, and when the closure is applied to the tank filler neck, to engage the horizontal flange 16 of the latter and the annular supporting member 5 of the former. The gasket is main* tained in associated relation with the closure by the outwardly ,extending locking ngers I @thereof which liebelow the gasket and hence prevent its escape.

`The measuring stick gaugev of the presentl 'structure comprises a-.single strip of resilient metal, which is bentk at substantially itsmiddle .pointv25 to provide two legs or gauge portions26. At anintermediate point 27, nearer to the free ends of the metal strip than to the bend 25 therein, the two gauge portions 26 are riveted or otherwise suitably secured together, with theparts of the two gauge portions between said securement point 27 and the bend 25 lying in substantially contacting relation. Each gauge portionis provided on its outer face with suitable graduating indiciaor scale divisions 28, which may indicate `either the proportional capacity of the tank 12 or its capacityV in units of measurement, such as gallons, the latter form being here shown. l y

The `free ends of the two gauge portions 26 are bent laterally outward, as lat 29, and extends through diametrically opposed, correspondingly sized'openings in the upwardly extending flangea of the closure inner wall member 5, said gauge end portions lying just belowand in engagement with the body por tion' 6 of the closure'locking member. The resiliencyof thev gauge member tends to further separate or outwardly move the free ends`29 of the two gauge portions 26so that saidV end portions. are effectively maintained inthe closure openings. There is therefore no necessityl of providing ,separate means,

suchasscrews or bolts and nuts, for securing the gauge to the closure, with the result that assembly of the structure is easily and 'simply made.

The provision of the present structure providesa measuring stick gauge which is always available for convenient use, and which does not carry into the fuel tank dirt and other foreign matter which so materially lowers the efficiency of the vehicle motor. Other advantagesV of the present structure are readily apparent. f

What I claim is:

1. A structure of the character described, comprising a closure having an annular skirt and a wall portion extending transversely with respect to said skirt, said wall portion being formed with a circular depression in one surface thereof and with diametrically opposed openings through the sidel wall of said depression, locking means engaging in said depression, and a gauge extending axially of said annular skirt, said gauge having a measuring stick portion and a bifurcated securing portion, the two parts of said bifurcated portion terminating in oppositely extending lugs which engage a surface of said locking means and project through said dametrically opposed openings, whereby said gauge is securelyV maintained in assembly with said closure and assists in maintaining the locking means of said closure in said depression;

2. A structure of the character described, comprising a closure havingV an annular skirt and a wall portion, extending transversely with respect to said skirt, said wall portion being formed with acircular depression in one surface thereof and with diametrically opposed .openings through the side wall of said depression, locking means engaging in Vsaid depression, anda gauge extending axially of said annular skirt, said gauge having a measuring stick portion and a bifurcated securing portion, the two parts of said bifurcated portion terminating in oppositely extending lugs which engage a surface of said locking means and project through said dia.- metrically opposed openings, whereby said gauge' is securely ymaintained in assembly with said closure and assists in maintaining the locking means of said closure in said depressiomthe two parts ofsaid bifurcated portion being o-f -resilient metal and having a tendency to separate thereby causing said lugs to be retained in said openings.

In testimony whereof I hereby aiix my signature.

PETER J. MACHONIS. 

